2015
Emily’s course of her dreams
As 74,000 students found out their future study options on Monday, few would have had a bigger smile on their face than Kyabram athlete Emily Lawson.
Emily, who achieved an outstanding ATAR of 95.45 at Goulburn Valley Grammar School, had her first preference set for biomedicine at Melbourne University
And she was not to be disappointed.
“It was a big relief to know I got into the course I wanted,” Emily said.
“No matter what, I think I was always going to be relived just to know that all the hard work had led somewhere.”
Emily said biomedicine at Melbourne University was her first preference because it opened the door for future study in other fields of medicine.
Their heart’s in it
Expectant mothers will have access to a brand-new service at Kyabram District Health Service.
KDHS has been able to buy an ultrasound machine after a $1500 donation from the Heart Group.
The machine will be used across the organisation and will help in the haemodialysis unit, finding veins and allow doctors to assess a child’s position in the womb before deciding whether a caesarian section is safe.
Clinical service director Bernadette Wardle said the machine would offer major benefits to the hospital.
“It will allow us to do things that previously we would have never been able to do,” she said.
“It also means we don’t have to refer people to other hospitals in the area for these services, and they can stay in town to get them done.”
Ky Club has grand plans
The Kyabram Club has some big plans for the future.
Manager Mike Sweeney said the club was in the process of seeking council approval for the first stage of a major three stage, five-to-10-year redevelopment project that would give the building an entirely new look.
The first stage includes removing the club’s two entrances in favour of a drive-up portico on Saunders St that was also featured a coffee shop and alfresco dining.
It will also involve renovations to the building administration area.
“The plan is to deliver Kyabram a state-of-the-art facility that assists in not only attracting current members, but all new people to the town,” Mr Sweeney said.
2005
Legal eagle is flying high in retirement
Chris Kinnane is literally flying high after he retired from Morrison and Sawers recently.
The solicitor, who has 40 years’ experience in the profession, will take to the skies as a pilot — his passion for 39 years.
Mr Kinnane has flown aircraft since he took a class in 1966.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he said.
Twelve years after staring lessons, Mr Kinnane began to teach flying to others, which now brings him the most enjoyment.
“It’s better than pushing paper around,” he said.
Anxious wait after tsunami disaster
The parents of a Kyabram man believed to be in Phuket when the killer tsunami hit on Boxing Day were still waiting for a follow-up call from the son, Ivan, yesterday, eight days after the disaster.
“We’ve heard nothing since he rang on Boxing Day to say he was safe, Ivan Steddar’s mother, Margaret said.
“He is due home on Wednesday (tomorrow), but we haven’t heard a thing since he rang on the day it happened to say he was safe.
“We’ve heard nothing since, but we are assuming everything is okay.”
Mrs Steddar assumed her son was in Phuket when the tsunami hit, but hadn’t time to establish that in the brief call she originally received.
End of the road for Girgarre bus driver
After over 40 years on the job, Girgarre school bus driver Jeff Summers will take long service leave from this year, passing the torch on to his two sons.
Last October, Mr Summers clocked up 40 years as Girgarre’s school bus driver, operating the buses from his Girgarre business, Forbes and Summers.
The family business has two buses, which are used to transport students to Girgarre Primary School, Stanhope Primary School and a feeder service to Shepparton and Mooroopna.
Mr Summer’s son Mark, who has been driving the school bus for 12-and-a-half years, will continue to operate the Girgarre Primary School service, while Mr Summer’s other son Paul, will take over the Stanhope and Shepparton and Mooroopna feeder services from the first day of the new school year.
1995
Kyabram Apexians jump for joy
Four years ago, the Kyabram Apex Club tried to sell its trailer which was no longer required since the group ceased its collection of old newspapers of recycling.
We’re talking about a tri-axle trailer here … you know … the type that suits behind a prime-mover.
The trailer has caused much consternation among past and present club members in recent years, and president Tim Purdy went as far as saying the trailer issue had caused heartache at meetings and had aroused plenty of animated discussion.
Imagine then, the absolute joy and delight expressed by Apex club members, when a gentleman from Nanneella showed an interest in the item.
It’s perhaps not so surprising then, that Apexians were literally ‘jumping for joy’, as they prepared to end a very drawn-out marriage with the stubborn steel trailer.
Triple J comes to the country
Radio listeners looking for something different will be pleased to know that ABC Radio’s Triple J youth radio network will start broadcasting in the Goulburn Valley from Australia Day.
With more than 1.8 million listeners each week, Triple J is the nation’s leading media a choice for young Australians and is renowned for its commitment to the exposure of new music and, in particular, Australian music.
The expansion fulfils a promise made by Paul Keating during the 1992 election campaign.
The Goulburn Valley is just one of 17 rural areas which will receive broadcasts as part of the country’s largest single media expansion ever undertaken.
Our Murray Marvels
With a whopping two-hour break on their nearest sectional rivals after the first day’s paddling, finding the motivation to keep going became paramount for John Fanning and Darrel Pell in last week’s Red Cross Murray River Marathon.
But the Wyuna veterans obviously came up with the right recipe — their efforts in the remaining four days propelled them to a record-breaking effort and second place overall under corrected times (handicap) of the world’s most gruelling canoe event.
Their overall time of 31 hours, 26 minutes and 2 seconds upped a thumping 20 minutes from the sectional (50 and over) record which has stood since 1987.
Only much younger competition who filled the first two placings in the men’s open TK2 sections and the first place getters in the mixed TK2 section covered the 404km marathon quicker than John and Darrel.